A long coastal storm record
The 1938 Long Island Express, Tropical Storm Irene in 2011, Superstorm Sandy on October 29, 2012 and Tropical Storm Isaias in August 2020 all left their mark on coastal New York. Nor’easters add a steady winter drumbeat of wind and tide. Any hurricane claim appraisal here has to deal with the same core problem: separating covered wind damage from excluded flood.
Wind versus surge
Homeowners policies generally exclude flood, including storm surge. Flood is usually covered, if at all, by an NFIP or private flood policy. Sandy showed how messy that split can be on Staten Island, in the Rockaways and in Long Beach, where homes took wind and water in the same night. We document the wind evidence that stands on its own:
- Roof and siding damage above any water line
- Interior water staining from openings rather than rising water
- Tree fall and debris impact consistent with wind direction
- Window, door and skylight failures
Timing matters too. After a major storm, adjusters may inspect weeks later, after debris has been cleared and water lines have faded. Your own photos and videos from the first days, contractor notes, and any tarping or board-up invoices become the best record of what the wind did. We organise that evidence by elevation and by room so the other appraiser and, if needed, the umpire can follow it without guesswork. Where the same house also has a flood claim, we keep the two scopes clearly separated to avoid any suggestion of double recovery.
Percentage hurricane and windstorm deductibles
Many policies on Long Island, in New York City and along the Westchester shoreline carry a hurricane or windstorm deductible, generally 1% to 5% of dwelling coverage, that applies only when the storm meets the policy’s definition. Whether that trigger was met is a policy question, but the size of the claim relative to the deductible is what makes appraisal worthwhile. Try our hurricane deductible calculator and read the hurricane deductibles guide.
Nor’easters and winter coastal storms
Nor’easters rarely trigger hurricane deductibles but can do serious damage to roofs, siding and bulkhead-adjacent structures, often combined with snow and ice. Repeated storms can also blur the line between old and new damage, so dated photos after each event help. We value those losses under the standard deductible unless your policy says otherwise.
Serving the coast
We work in Hempstead, Islip, Staten Island, southern Brooklyn and Queens, and the Westchester Sound shore, where capes, bungalows and raised homes each present their own repair challenges.
Questions about hurricane & nor’easter appraisal
Will my homeowners policy pay for storm surge damage?
Generally no. Storm surge is treated as flood, which homeowners policies exclude; it is usually covered only by a separate flood policy.
When does a hurricane deductible apply in New York?
Only when the event meets the definition in your policy, which varies by insurer. Check the declarations page and the deductible endorsement.
Can appraisal decide how much damage was wind and how much was water?
Panels sometimes allocate damage between causes as part of valuing the loss, but whether flood damage is covered is a coverage question outside appraisal.